


Six Months Later

by WakingOblivion



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Headcanon, Wedding Fluff, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-17
Updated: 2018-08-17
Packaged: 2019-06-28 15:57:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15710493
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WakingOblivion/pseuds/WakingOblivion
Summary: “Elissa married King Alistair in a lavish ceremony six months after his coronation, becoming the princess-consort of Ferelden. The two toured the nation soon afterwards, and the people were ecstatic to see how the king adored his new bride.”"But now she’s much older, and can’t wait to be married to her groom."The day that Elissa Cousland marries Alistair Theirin.





	Six Months Later

**Author's Note:**

> dude so i was replaying DA:O (for like the 700th time no joke) and i forgot i had a mod called "Alistair's Royal Wedding" or something and OMG i was just dying of joy and feels so i decided i wanted to bust out a fic real quick and ya idc if everyone's writing about inquisition and stuff origins is still my favorite of the three and it's all because of DANG alistair
> 
> i still love u solas bb but alistair will always be #1 in my breaking my heart im sry

 

 

As a little girl, Elissa often pictures this day a lot differently. She imagines being ensnared in a frilly, poofy gown and slowly being handed off from her father to some old, fat lord from Nevarra or Antiva. She’d cry, scream, and have to be dragged through the Chantry by both the knights of Denerim and several Chantry sisters. _Never!_ She would cry, trying to rip her hand away from anyone who tried to bring her to her intended. _I’ll never marry!_ And then she imagines a dragon would swoop in, eat her betrothed, and set the entire Chantry on fire with its breath.

 

It was a ridiculous fantasy. But now she’s much older, and can’t wait to be married to her groom.

 

Still, the vision of being stuffed into a gown was pretty damn close. For the last twenty minutes she’s been forced to stand on a chair while the palace’s maids scurry around her frantically. Her dress had already run into a few issues when she accidently stepped on its hem and caused a few threads to become loose.

 

But the gown was still extravagant; a gift from Empress Celene herself. It was sent as a thank you for ending the Blight, but Arl Eamon saw it more as a threat. He insisted the Empress wanted to utilize the dress to emphasize that Orlais still had a hold on Ferelden- that Empress Celene was making Ferelden’s soon-to-be-queen wear it like a bunch of chains. Yet Elissa argued with him, not wanting to refuse the gift since doing so would likely further strain the already tense relations with Orlais.  It’s a difficult situation, but they decided that she should wear the dress and just simply say that it was a _gift from a friend_ when asked.

 

“My, my… a Ferelden beauty in an _Orlesian_ gown. Such a scandal!” someone teases, causing Elissa to spin around and crumple the bottom of her gown. The maids groan in frustration and glare up at her.

 

Leliana stands in the doorway and grins at her impishly. Her typically tangled hair was styled neatly in a bun, and she’s endorned in a long ball-gown that matches her hair’s fiery color. Elissa gasps in surprise. She hasn’t seen her in months.

 

“Leliana!” she exclaims, nearly falling off the chair she’s standing on. “What are you doing here?”

 

“I’m attending your wedding, of course.” Leliana laughs, stepping close towards her. “Why else would I be dressed like this?” She traces a hand lightly over the material of her gown and chuckles. “I’m guessing this was given to you by Empress Celene? She always _did_ always have such a splendid eye for fashion.”

 

Elissa quickly gives her a look. _Not now._ She jerks her neck towards the several frustrated maids that are beneath her trying to smooth out the hem of her gown. “It’s a gift from a friend.” she says hurriedly, trying to change the subject. “It’s not important right now. How did you get here so quickly? I thought you had unfinished business in Orlais-”

 

“I killed Marjolaine.” Leliana interrupts sharply, causing the maids to gasp. “I tracked her down as fast as I could so I could make it back to Ferelden in time.” There is no anger or regret in her voice; she simply states it as a matter of fact. The maids suddenly abandon their fussing over Elissa's dress and instead focus on cowering uncertainly at deadly Bard in the room.

 

Elissa quickly hops off her chair and smiles at the stunned maids. Well, at least they'll know their future queen has friends that they wouldn't want to mess with. _It's too late now to make up an excuse. This might be useful in case someone tries to slip me poison, she reassures herself._ “Thank you for your assistance, ladies. Tell Grand Cleric Elemena that I’m ready. They’ll send my brother over for me soon.” The maids nod and quickly bow, avoiding eye contact with Leliana as they whisk out of the room.

 

Leliana shrugs as she watches them leave. “They are afraid of me. But I did nothing wrong. Marjolaine was an evil person who would have never left me alone. She _needed_ to die for the sake of the world.” She sounds sure and proud of herself at first, but then she sinks into the chair and sighs. “But… does that make me a bad person? Evil? This life that I revel in...”

 

“Oh, Leliana.” Elissa hugs her friend from behind the chair and sighs a little. “You worry too much. No matter what you do or say, I’ll always see you as a good person. As long as your intentions are true and good, then there’s nothing wrong in remaining as person you are.” She gave her a poke on the cheek and laughed. “Plus you helped end the Blight. In my book, that makes you a _preeetty_ good person.”

 

She smiles at that and giggles a little. “I only did what a sane person would do. The credit is really yours and Alistair's.” She got up from the chair, looking much more cheerful. “I just… wanted to say that I am proud to have both of you as my friends. I love you two, you know? And you guys deserve _every_ bit of happiness in this world.” She kisses Elissa on the cheek and grins. “I will see you soon. Don’t make us wait for too long.”

 

* * *

 

“And here I thought I’d never see you in a dress again.” Fergus enters the room with a gentle knock and smile. “The Wolf Pup of Highever has been tamed, I suppose?”

 

Elissa raises an eyebrow and smirks at him. “And I, dear brother, also thought Hound of Highever was unbeatable when it came to sparring… strange how things turn out!”

  
Fergus frowns at that. “First off, _nobody_ called me _that_. Only _you_ called me that nickname because you thought it was unfair everyone called you a She-Wolf. And secondly… I have been out of practice.”

 

“Out of practice?” Elissa sniffs, an amused smile still on her face. “You are one of the strongest warriors I have ever met. Just admit it, Alistair beat you fair and square. ”

 

“Fine,” he agrees sourly. “After all, I did say that if a man thought he was worthy of you, he’d have to go through me first. But he beat me and shamed me into giving you up.” He shakes his head and sighs to himself. “I swear, those Theiren boys are part dragon or something…”

 

She smiles still but now feels a bit uncertain. “You weren’t really... _shamed_ into giving me up, right? You don’t think we make a good match?”

 

Her brother chuckles there- a genuine laugh that makes her feel at ease again. It’s only been six months since the Blight ended. There still hasn’t been much joy in her poor brother’s life. She had briefly returned to Highever to visit him and felt how haunting it was to stay there. Fergus had demanded that the room that his wife and son had been murdered in be destroyed. _Too many bad memories._ He wasn’t ready to remarry, not now. Yet he knew it was his duty to do so, especially if he were to wish that the Cousland name lived on.

 

“No, you two make a _perfect_ match. A union between the Theiren family and ours? It would be one of the strongest marriages in Ferelden. But other than that…” his eyes twinkle a little, and his voice wavers a bit. “I’ve never seen such a genuine love between people since father and mother… and they were the Soldier and the Sea-Wolf.” He clears his throat and laughs a little. “Of course, he _is_ the King. I suppose there really is no needed explanation or reason beyond _that_ to marry him. Even if you didn’t care for him in that way, this marriage will still be for the good of Ferelden.

 

She shakes her head. “True. But my reasoning for this is plain and simple: I love him.”

 

Alistair. Despite the world going to hell, her family being destroyed before her very eyes, and being placed on a battlefield she never asked to be in, she was able to find him. A goofy yet charming almost-Templar that made her see that there was something worth fighting for despite all of the terror she felt. He said she was a rare and wonderful thing amongst all of the darkness of this world. And yet, there _he_ was. The man who had defended her countless times from both flying arrows and screaming nobles. The man who couldn’t stop glancing over at her while they marched off to war and blushed when he had been found out. The man who refused to leave her side in a world where running away always felt like the better solution.

 

Her voice feels thick. “...and he loves me. Plain and simple.”

 

Fergus reaches over and hugs her tightly. She feels a little silly, knowing the last time they did this she had been crying over getting her knee scraped from climbing the fence in Highever. She breaks away from him after a while and sighs.

 

“So this is it.”

 

He nods. “Indeed.”

 

“Do I at least _look_ like a bride? Not a wild wolf pup?”

 

He snorts and pats her head affectionately, a gesture she hates, but doesn’t mind this time. “You’ll always look like a wild pup to me. Even when wearing the finest clothing, keeping your hair neatly pinned, and having your face painted with makeup, you’ll still always that wild look in your eyes.” He grins. “Wolves can’t be tamed.”

 

She rolls her eyes. “So nice of you to say, dear brother. As your future queen, remind me to never allow a man by the name of Fergus Cousland to ever attend an event at the palace again?”

 

He laughs and kisses her cheek. “You know I always hate these damn politics anyway.”

 

* * *

 

It was strange to not hear merchants shouting their wares in Denerim’s marketplace. Instead, the road was packed with citizens from everywhere. She saw Dagna from Oztagamar waving frantically at her through the streets. Shianni from the Alienage smiling at her from afar. They were all waiting for her.

 

“That’s her! Our queen!”

 

“The Hero of Ferelden!”

 

“The Theirins and Couslands will unite Ferelden into glory!”

 

“...I heard she’s also the Teryna of Gwaren. And the Arlessa of Amaranthine. Scary woman.”

 

She feels overwhelmed again, just like she had six months ago when the Blight had ended. She went from having everything, to losing it all, to gaining it back and more in the end. From being an outlawed criminal where people spat in her face, to being the adored savior that bards sing tales about. Part of her wanted to escape and run away, like she always did back in Highever when she felt like everyone demanded too much of her.

 

But the bigger part of her wants to stay, because the person waiting for her at the end is worth it.

 

When they enter the Chantry, she can feel herself trembling a little. She glances at her brother who’s strong arm keeps her steady and balanced. Fergus looks at her with a smile. She can do this. The deafening roar from the streets in sliced away once the door closes, leaving them in crisp silence of the Chantry. It's a startling contrast. But everyone’s eyes are still on her.

 

Bann Teagan, Isolde, and Connor. Enchanter Irving and Templar Cullen. Cammen and Gheyna. Everyone she had encountered during the last year, everyone she had helped or demanded help from… they were all here again. Then she sees Leliana, Wynne, Zevran, and Oghren and she can’t stop smiling. The people who risked everything and had the laid their lives down and bare for two Warden outcasts. They had become her family when her old one had been destroyed. And Alistair always wanted a family.

 

But then part of her feels sad again. She remembers that Sten had left immediately after the Blight, that Morrigan was still nowhere to be seen. Both of them had saved her life countless of times. And Morrigan had truly saved both her and Alistair with that… well, she’ll never forget what she did.

 

She shakes her head a little and smiles. At least Shale and her dog were still here, though probably outside. Apparently both “gigantic stone golems” and “wild war dogs” were not allowed inside of the Chantry.

 

* * *

 

When she finally looks up at him she can see him smiling at her and it’s the same old goofy grin she fell in love with, the same look that he always gave her during those quiet nights across campfire. It’s a look that they both shared so often, a simple look that states  _I adore you._ He looks so happy and _she’s_ so happy and it’s taking everything in her not to dash into his arms right there and just take him far away, far away to somewhere where they could be alone and _be themselves_ without the world staring.

 

 _No,_ she thinks, glancing at the cheering nobles, warriors, and citizens surrounding them. _I already have him._

 

_I suppose Ferelden and I can share._


End file.
